Springsteen's Graceful Solo

By Vin Scelsa

Vin agreed to share his impressions of Bruce Springsteen's recent solo concert, and give those of you lucky enough to get tickets something to look forward to.

Bruce was very relaxed, very touching, very funny, very talkative; he appeared much more at ease with "solo" performing than during the "Ghost of Tom Joad" tour.

He played a lot of piano!

He varied between new and old songs, including chestnuts like "For You" and "Lost in the Flood."

He had some very subtle backing tapes on some songs, mostly long droning chords, one time a distant tambourine, all of which broke up some of what was a bit monotonous during his first solo tour. The audience loved it; no one was upset about the use of prerecorded backing music, especially because Bruce's guitar playing, whether acoustic or electric, is always so compelling.

He used his falsetto often, a most pleasing and effective sound.

His wife, mom, sister and other relatives were front row center, and he addressed them directly on several occasions. For me and my wife it was the most satisfying and emotionally involving Bruce Springsteen concert we've experienced since the glory days of the E Street Band the mid to late 1970s, at places like the Capitol in Passaic, the Count Basie in Red Bank and of course, the fabled Bottom Line run.

He is learning to show his maturity comfortably. He has found a wonderful way to grow older, show respect for his roots and his youth, and grow gracefully into his role as family man and friend/mentor to the audience that has grown (up) with him over all these years.

It is an intimate affair. It was a very satisfying evening.